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recommended route Stage 8

Pfälzer Weinsteig Stage 8: Dernbach - Annweiler am Trifels

Select · 2 reviews · Long Distance Hiking · Pfalz

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Pfalz Touristik e.V.

/ Krappenfelsen
Photo: Axel Brachat, CC BY, Verein Südliche Weinstraße Annweiler am Trifels e.V.
/ Pfälzer Weinsteig Etappe 8
Video: Südliche Weinstrasse e.V. - Pfalz
/ Idyllische Wiesen bei Eußerthal
Photo: Outdooractive Redaktion
/ Klosterkirche Eußerthal
Photo: Outdooractive Redaktion
/ Kreuzweg bei Eußerthal
Photo: Outdooractive Redaktion
/ Eselstränke
Photo: Outdooractive Redaktion
/ Blick von Gräfenhausen zum Trifels
Photo: Outdooractive Redaktion
/ Ausblick vom Krappenfelsen
Photo: Archiv Verein SÜW Annweiler e.V.
/ Kirche in Annweiler
Photo: Outdooractive Redaktion

Today we walk from Dernbach through woods and meadows to Eußerthal and onwards to Gräfenhausen, the most westerly wine-producing community in the Palatinate. The trail continues over the summit of the Großer Adelberg mountain, past the Krappenfels viewing point and down to the town of Annweiler, which lies at the foot of the majestic Trifels Castle.

difficult

Distance 14.4 km

5:00 h

603 m

631 m

With Dernbach behind you and the Deutscher Weinstrasse in front of you, the eighth stage invites you to a high altitude tour towards Annweiler am Trifels. A steep climb leads to the Sanatorium Eußerthal and through the wooded area on the slopes of the Walterkopf. Downhill through the Eusserthal you will see the abbey church of a former Cistercian monastery from the 12th century. With blossoms in spring and the aroma of fruit, the orchards will accompany you up to the Steinernen Wegkreuz before you reach the gap tween Grüneck and Franzosenkopf where the Eselstränke ripples downhill. From the picnic area at the 3-Burgen-Blick you will see the Trifels Castle and the ruins of Anebos and Scharfenberg. From the wine village of Gräfenhausen it goes uphill to the forest cabin at the Holderqelle, on the north side of the Großer Adelberg. A detour of approx. 500 metres will lead you to the Jung-Pfalz-Hütte where, on weekends, you can have a snack. Once again, the Trifels Castle can be seen from the lookout point Krappenfels, before arriving in Annweiler. In the old tanner’s district of this town the River Queich still drives the wheels of the town mill.

Author’s recommendation

Besichtigung der Klosterkirche Eußerthal
Einkehr per Abstecher zur Jung-Pfalz-Hütte möglich (Öffnungszeiten beachten)

Author

Tobias Kauf

Updated: June 08, 2021

Quality route according to "Wanderbares Deutschland"

Difficulty

difficult

Technique

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Highest point

464 m

Lowest point

177 m

Best time of year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Rest Stop

Jung-Pfalz-Hütte

Safety information

Despite the well-signposted trail markers along the premium hiking trails, we recommend for security reasons to always have an appropriate hiking map so that, for example when a storm occurs, you can quickly either find shelter or get out of the woods.

Especially in the autumn it is also important to remember that leaves lying on the ground can conceal irregularities, such as roots, rocks or holes in the path. Following storms, trees can have been uprooted or have branches hanging down. Such path impairments have to be expected when using such trails . Especially in adverse weather conditions, it may occur that the trails and paths turn into muddy and slippery passages. Path impairments of this kind have to be expected when you go out for a hike. Not all rocks or slopes are secured with ropes or railings and sure footedness is required. Should you be of the opinion that these are not accessible to you then you should try and get around them.

Start

Dernbach town center (205 m)

Coordinates:

49.248989, 8.005069

DMS

49°14'56.4"N 8°00'18.2"E

UTM

32U 427592 5455611

w3w

///strain.unhook.mega

Destination

Annweiler am Trifels, spa gardens

Turn-by-turn directions

The 8th stage of the Weinsteig trail begins in the attractive village of Dernbach, nestled among the hills. From here, we climb uphill into the forest and arrive at the Eußerthal sanatorium (1). Easy forest paths bring us along the slopes of the Walterskopf mountain to the municipality of Eußerthal, with its parish church (2), site of a former Cistercian monastery. The trail continues through pretty orchards past a stone wayside cross (3) and up into the forest once again.On the sometimes steep climb up the pass between the Grüneck and Franzosenkopf mountains the clear, cold water of the Eselstränke springs quenches our thirst.

On the descent to Gräfenhausen the 3-castle-view rest area (4) invites us to pause for a moment. Across from us, Trifels Castle and the ruined castles of Anebos and Scharfenberg rise up into the Palatinate sky. We walk through the small wine-producing village of Gräfenhausen and, after a long ascent on shady trails and paths, reach the Jungpfalz shelter and the Holderquelle fountain on the northern slope of the Großer Adelsberg mountain. It's worth making the short detour (approx. 500m) to the Jungpfalz hikers' hut, which is open at the weekends.

It's also not far from here to the Krappenfels viewing point (5), where you will be greeted by a lovely view of Trifels Castle. A path brings us down the wooded slope to the Turnerheim restaurant and on towards Annweiler. In this small town on the River Queich, nestled at the foot of Trifels Castle, a historical town centre with a watermill, tanners' quarter and romantic alleyways awaits us.

Note

all notes on protected areas

Public transport

By train to Albersweiler, then by bus to Dernbach

Getting there

A65 to the Landau-Nord exit, continue on the B10 towards Annweiler until the L505 bears right towards Dernbach

Parking

In Dernbach

Coordinates

49.248989, 8.005069

DMS

49°14'56.4"N 8°00'18.2"E

UTM

32U 427592 5455611

w3w

///strain.unhook.mega

Arrival by train, car, foot or bike

Book recommendation by the author

Rother Bergverlag : Die Pfälzer Weitwanderwege Pfälzer Höhenweg, Pfälzer Waldpfad, Pfälzer Weinsteig. In 30 Tagen durch die Pfalz (Autor: Jürgen Plogmann). 140 Seiten mit 60 Farbabbildungen, 30 Höhenprofile, 30 Wanderkärtchen im Maßstab 1:75.000, eine Übersichtskarte. ISBN 978-3-7633-4401-7 Conrad-Stein-Verlag: Pfälzer Weinsteig (Autorin: Anne Bärbel Engelhart). 192 Seiten mit 17 Karten, 61 Farbabblidungen und 10 Höhenprofilen. ISBN 978-3-86686-380-4

Author’s map recommendations

Public Press Wanderkarte Pfälzer Weinsteig im Maßstab 1:25.000, deutsch, Leporello Falzung mit 17 Teilkarten, GPS-genau, elf redaktionelle Seiten mit Ausflugszielen und Einkehrtipps. Weitere Hauptwanderwege enthalten. ISBN 978-3-89920-677-7, Preis: 11,99€. Direkt hier bestellen.
Wanderkarte Pfälzerwald 6 und 8, NaturNavi Gmbh, ISBN 978-3-96099-104-5 http://naturnavi.de

Equipment

Provisions, sturdy shoes and (if necessary) waterproof clothing

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Rating

3.0

(2)

Michael Vau

August 14, 2019 · Community

Ungemütliche Etappe, fast nur bergauf und wieder bergab. Zum Teil steile Anstiege. Nur eine Hütte zum Einkehren, die leider Betriebsferien hatte.

When did you do this route? August 04, 2019

Comment

Georg Doerrig

April 23, 2017 · Community

Tolle abwechslungsreiche Etappe. Alles dabei: Feld, Wald, Wiesen, Traumhafte Täler, beeindruckende Weitsichten, idyllische Orte. Teilweise anspruchsvolle schweißtreibende steile Anstiege. Die Mühe lohnt sich jedoch. Falls Übernachtung im Zielort Annweiler gewünscht und viel Ruhe gewollt ist, empfehle ich sich noch die Mühe zu machen in den Ortsteil Bindersbach weiter zu wandern (ca 30 min.), oder den Linienbus zu nehmen. Dort kann man im Gästehaus Heger ein gemütliches, sauberes Zimmer mit Frühstück bekommen. Gute Gastronomie nur 5 Min. entfernt. Von Familie Heger aus ist der Wiedereinstig auf den Weinsteig gut möglich. Der Hausherr ist bei der Wegerklärung sehr hilfsbereit.

Comment

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Reviews

Difficulty

difficult

Distance

14.4 km

Duration

5:00 h

Ascent

603 m

Descent

631 m

Multi-stage route Scenic Refreshment stops available Family friendly Cultural/historical value Geological highlights Botanical highlights Faunistic highlights

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